The English Roses, Too Good to be True [Hardcover]

Madonna (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: P and up

With a whirling dervish of a teacher and a sprinkle of magic fairy dust, the English Roses learn valuable lessons about friendship and surviving their first crush. Readers of all ages will delight in this much-awaited sequel to Madonna’s first children’s book, The English Roses.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Madonna Ritchie was born in Bay City, Michigan. She has recorded 17 albums and appeared in 18 movies, including Evita, for which she won a Golden Globe award. She lives with her husband, movie director Guy Ritchie, and her two children, Lola and Rocco, in London and Los Angeles. Her first five books for children—The English Roses, Mr. Peabody’s Apples, Lotsa de Casha, Yakov and the Seven Thieves, and The Adventures of Abdi—were released in more than 100 countries around the world in 2003, 2004, and 2005.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Callaway; 1 edition (October 24, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0670061476
• ISBN-13: 978-0670061471
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #323,933 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Exceptional illustrations make this a delightful book., October 26, 2006

By 

R Schmidt (Honolulu, HI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The English Roses, Too Good to be True (Hardcover)

The English Roses, Nicole, Amy, Charlotte, Grace, and Binda are in fifth grade (their "meeting" story is told in the first book on the English Roses). Their teacher, Miss Fluffernutter (she is "beautiful on the inside"), welcomes them , and a new student, Dominic de la Guardia... and the girls think he is TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE (TGTBT). They are miffed when Dominic seems to pay more attention to Binda than the rest of them. Of course, they learn friendship shouldn't be so shallow. Miss Fluffernutter suggests "The next time you start to feel jealous of someone, try to feel happy for them instead" (p. 52).

I am always irked by children's stories that have girls focus their goals on winning over a boy. You know this is a common theme in stories for teenagers. Does it have to happen for younger kids as well? Fifth grade?

BUT, I have to admit, surrounded by the lovely illustrations of Stacy Peterson, the story is smooth and entertaining. It is a beautiful book, and I don't want to make the story sound terrible. Madonna put together a nice tale of friendship that is tested and found to be true... as in TGTBT!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PLEASE, let's stick to reviewing the book!, September 1, 2009

By 

Regina Wagner - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The English Roses, Too Good to be True (Hardcover)

I would like to - again - kindly ask everyone here to review the book, not the author!

I am amazed by people (I am specifically referring to two "reviews" of this book) who are willing to waste part of the precious little time they are given on this planet (and, at the same time, waste MY time as well!) by ranting about a woman they do not know and condemning her for reasons that sound an awful lot like just plain fear and hatred of women, especially those who do not conform to what they deem appropriate for women.

Maybe some of us should stop obsessing about Madonna, leave the woman alone and get on with our own lives, maybe even do something productive, instead of wasting people's time with ramblings, venom and hatred.

When read customer reviews, I care about the product I am thinking about purchasing and not about somebody's personal feelings about Madonna.

I have read this book as well as "The English Roses" and "Mr. Peabody's Apples" and found them to be beautiful stories teaching children something useful while at the same time being fun to read - even for the adult reading them to the child!

15 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Daughter absolutely loved it!, November 9, 2006

By 

melolyn - See all my reviews

This review is from: The English Roses, Too Good to be True (Hardcover)

There isn't much more important to an aspiring reader but to hear a book they love! My 6 year old loved this book. The illustrations are tgtbt! The writing style isn't my favorite, and the story about girls fighting over a boy seems too old for her age, but my daughter seemed to think it was entirely perfect.

In fact, she wants to get it for her friend as a birthday gift instead of the Bratz doll she had picked out. If a book wins out over a bratz doll, then it must be a good book:)